Building more than homes: The power of partnership between Hopestead and Bromford Flagship Livewest

At Hopestead, we're proud to be part of the Bromford Flagship Livewest (BFL) group. While we operate as an independent charity, our connection to BFL creates opportunities and impact that adds additional strength to our work.

Together, we share a common ambition: helping people and communities thrive. By combining BFL's housing expertise with Hopestead's charitable aims, we can address not only the need for safe, secure homes, but also the wider challenges that affect people's lives and opportunities.

A shared commitment to thriving communities

Everyone deserves a place to call home, and a good home is the foundation for a better future, but thriving communities need more than bricks and mortar. Poverty, social isolation, poor wellbeing, unemployment, and limited access to opportunities can all prevent people from thriving. While BFL provides homes and support for over 300,000 customers, Hopestead works alongside customers and communities to create opportunities, strengthen local connections, and support people to overcome barriers.

Unlocking funding and investment

As a charity, Hopestead can secure grants, attract donations and build partnerships with funders and corporate organisations whose values align with our own. These additional resources enable us to invest in initiatives that directly benefit BFL customers and help address some of the challenges they face in their daily lives.

A recent example is our partnership with Travis Perkins, which has provided £10,000 of funding to support domestic abuse survivors across the East region. Working closely with BFL's Domestic Abuse team, this funding is being used to enhance security measures in survivors' homes, helping them feel safer and more secure as they rebuild their lives.

The funding also supports regular coffee mornings, creating safe and welcoming spaces where survivors can connect with others who have shared experiences. By reducing isolation, building confidence, and creating supportive peer networks, these sessions help individuals on their journey towards recovery and independence.

This is a powerful example of how being part of BFL enables Hopestead to attract additional investment into communities, bringing together charitable funding and frontline expertise to achieve outcomes that would not be possible independently.

Creating Communities, Not Just Homes

The recent development at Netherwood Green is a powerful example of what can be achieved when organisations come together around a shared purpose. In March, we opened a new development of 12 one-bedroom apartments, providing vital move-on accommodation for people living in hostels across Norwich and helping them take the next step towards independent living.

Delivered in partnership with St Martins Housing Trust and Norwich City Council, and with the support of Flagship Homes' development and project management expertise, the project has been about far more than providing bricks and mortar. It has been about creating foundations for a stable future, giving people the opportunity to move into a safe, secure home and begin building a life beyond homelessness.

Supporting Customers Beyond Housing

Through our partnership, Hopestead can respond to customer needs by investing in programmes, projects and partnerships that address challenges beyond housing, contributing directly to BFL's ambition of helping customers thrive.

One example is our Hope at Home project, which last year supported more than 500 people moving into a property after experiencing homelessness. The project provides essential household items, including white goods, carpets and furniture, helping people turn an empty property into a place they can genuinely call home.

For many people, moving into a new home after a period of homelessness is a significant milestone, but arriving to an empty property without the means to furnish it can feel overwhelming. Without basic items such as a bed, a fridge or flooring, settling in and rebuilding a life can be incredibly challenging.

Through Hope at Home, we help remove these barriers from day one. By ensuring people have the essentials they need to live safely and comfortably, we enable them to settle into their new home, regain stability and focus on their future. This support not only improves wellbeing and dignity but also helps people establish strong foundations for independent living, increasing their chances of sustaining their tenancy and thriving in the long term.

It is another example of how the partnership between Hopestead and BFL allows us to provide support that goes beyond housing, helping customers build brighter, more secure futures.

Stronger Together

By combining housing, charitable funding, community expertise and local partnerships, we can create lasting change for individuals and communities alike. Together, we are not just building homes. We are creating opportunities, strengthening communities and helping people build better futures.